What makes a good CV?

What makes a good CV is something the team at Sarah West gets asked a LOT. Here Sarah runs through what works for her!

“What makes a good CV is something I get asked all of the time! What I’m going to cover is just my opinion – other recruiters and people who work in HR may well have a different take on things.”

Formatting

“I like keeping it simple, so black writing on a white background, using a professional looking font. Using bullet points will also help keep things clear and concise.”

First impressions count

“When you send your CV to a recruiter like me, we only scan a CV – it’s reputed that’s for about 8 seconds. So you need to get our attention and having clear formatting really helps us to see if you have the skills and experience that we’re looking for.”

Be honest

“Hiring managers will very often ask for evidence of the things you say you’ve achieved on your CV. So make sure that you can back up the things you say.”

Let your personality shine through

“One way that you can really do that is in the hobbies and interests section. This is where you can showcase what you’re passionate about, shout about what you do out of work – these are great talking points when you get to an interview.”

It’s work in progress!

“Your CV should evolve and change as your experiences change. Trends change within CV writing too. It’s also important to tailor your CV – to the person you’re sending it to or the role that you’re sending it for.”

Get in touch if you’d like the Sarah West Recruitment team to help you find your dream job!